Inside Unmanned Systems

AUG-SEP 2018

Inside Unmanned Systems provides actionable business intelligence to decision-makers and influencers operating within the global UAS community. Features include analysis of key technologies, policy/regulatory developments and new product design.

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AIR LAW ENFORCEMENT
68 August/September 2018 unmanned systems
inside
Watson noted. On the other hand, "some
drones require disassembly of the aircraft;
other drones require complete disassembly
down to the chips. One of the premises of our
research is identifying how to get the data of
test devices so digital forensic practitioners
have guidance when they receive devices as
evidence."
For each make the model of drone VTO Labs
has researched, the team has purchased three
systems and f lown them in a controlled, geo-
fenced environment until they accumulated
a baseline amount of data. The researchers
then extracted data from one while leaving
it intact. They disassembled a second and
extracted data from its circuit board and on-
board cameras. With the third, they removed
all the drone's chips and extracted data from
them directly. They also disassembled and ex-
tracted data from the pilot controls and other
remotely connected devices.
The researchers were able to retrieve serial
numbers, f light paths, launch and landing
locations, photos and videos from the drones.
On one model, they even found a database
that stores a user's credit card information.
One reason this might be is because a drone
manufacturer sought to give users the ability
to order spare parts from the apps connected
with their drones, Watson said.
The images were created using industry
standard data formats so investigators can
analyze them using forensic software tools
and inspect their contents. The images for
each drone also come with step-by-step photo-
illustrated teardown instructions.
Watson did not have any experience with
drones before he and his company started this
research. "However, the VTO Labs team has
many years of experience retrieving data from
electronic embedded devices," he said. "By ap-
plying our embedded device experience to this
new technology platform, we were successful
in retrieving the data off all of the drones we
have encountered so far."
VTO Labs has forensic images of 14 popular
makes and models of drones on the site, and
hopes to have images of 30 models available by
the end of 2018 and 90 models supported over
the next three years. "This includes full analy-
sis and rolling data updates as new versions of
software comes out," Watson said.
There are, of course, currently hundreds of
drone models on the market and many more
coming. Instead of covering all of the drones
available, "our efforts will focus on the drones
with the largest market share, as we then have
the broadest coverage for our work," Watson
said. "If an organization receives a device not
covered by our research, our team is capable of
helping them with the one-off devices as they
encounter them."
Benjamin Findlay, a senior lecturer in crime
intelligence and data analytics at Teesside
University in England, found this drone fo-
rensics project vital because of its proactive
nature.
"The rate at which technology develops is
incredible, and often devices will be used in
the commission of a crime before they are
fully understood from the perspective of
Aerial drones at
the VTO Labs field
research station in
Colorado.